Ainge continues to shake up Celtics' roster

The typically uneventful Brad Stevens pregame media availability was anything but before Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors. The first-year Celtics coach was forced to deal with questions about the starting point guard who'd just been traded, the veteran guard who left the team on Tuesday and the four-time All-Star guard who dressed for the first time since tearing his ACL almost one full year ago.

BOSTON – The typically uneventful Brad Stevens pregame media availability was anything but before Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors.

The first-year Celtics coach was forced to deal with questions about the starting point guard who'd just been traded, the veteran guard who left the team on Tuesday and the four-time All-Star guard who dressed for the first time since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament almost one full year ago.

The Celtics earlier Wednesday sent starting point guard Jordan Crawford and seldom-used reserve MarShon Brooks to the Golden State Warriors in a three-team deal that brought them back two future draft picks and center Joel Anthony. Keith Bogans remains away from the team after being excused from the previous practice for "personal reasons." And, most significantly, Rajon Rondo went through a full pregame warmup and sat in uniform on the bench in advance of his expected return to action Friday night vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.

It made for a busy day for Stevens, who was also dealing with a nine-game losing streak entering the night.

"I'm not privy to every part of every decision that our management and leadership team will make," Stevens said of the trade before the game. "I trust them."

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was not at Wednesday's game, leaving it to his coach to rationalize the second trade in two weeks involving a key part of the rotation heading out of town. Last week, Boston traded Courtney Lee to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jerryd Bayless.

"Being able to add a person (in Anthony) who can protect the rim helps our team because it's one area where we haven't been as strong defensively," Stevens said. "With all these picks that are just adding up, and adding up, and adding up, we're going to have a lot of flexibility moving forward."

While Stevens wouldn't commit to it, all indications are Rondo will attempt to play Friday night after spending Wednesday afternoon practicing with the Maine Red Claws. Stevens said Rondo will have a minutes restriction when he returns.

Rookie Phil Pressey got the start at point guard on Wednesday with Crawford and Brooks gone, and Bogans in exile.

"I don't want to get into too many specifics," Stevens said of Bogans. "He's obviously not here now. He's still under contract here. I like Keith. There's where I'll leave it right now."